Known for her candid, articulate and humorous speeches The Royal Gazette takes a look at back its reports and chose just a few memorable quotes from Dame Lois Browne Evans.

* During the Warwick Constitutional Conference in 1979: "The majority of Bermudians have been deprived of that which a true and open democracy should guarantee — a direct and simple electoral system which encourages the maximum voter participation determining our collective destiny ... any people who suffer or benefit from an unjust system which perpetuates the dominance of one group over another can never be the free spirits God intended them to be of the type of citizens a country needs to flourish."

* May 1994, on the "Stubbs Bill" legalising homosexual sex: "To the religious groups opposing the bill because they believe it is outlawed by the Bible, religion has condoned everything you can think of including burning at the stake, massacres and slavery. We've got some fanatics in this country."

* On condemned Shopping Centre killer Larry Tacklyn: "The saddest part was facing Tacklyn when the Governor, acting on legal advice, decided he was not going to act on documents we handed him just before midnight asking for leave to appeal to the Privy Council. After I told Tacklyn he said something to the effect that he forgave them their ignorance. He was a Muslim to the end and he took it bravely, but he was very disappointed."

* On the November 9, 1998 victory: "Thank God I have lived to see this day. We know now, for the first time ever, that there will be a PLP Government. And I can promise that we will govern with all of Bermuda in mind."